


What He Needs

by aurumdalseni (kyo_chan)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Comfort, M/M, SHEITH - Freeform, Touch-Starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-30 03:09:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12099408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyo_chan/pseuds/aurumdalseni
Summary: Keith had latched onto Shiro's gestures of affection and friendship with as much enthusiasm as his bruised heart would allow. Leaning closer, nudging him back,smiling.Now, Keith is going to give it back





	What He Needs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oldmythologies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oldmythologies/gifts).



> A wonderful commission request from my [tumblr](http://paladinpuppypile.tumblr.com). Hope you enjoy!

Shiro takes a stuttered breath, and Keith can see his hands shaking from where they’re folded in front of him. Keith wishes he has the right words to tell him that it’s all right. Shiro would have the right words, somehow. He’s blessed with the incredible talent of knowing just what a person needs to hear when they need to hear it.

Keith tries anyway, everything about his comfort simple when he says, “It’s okay, Shiro.”

Some of the tightness in Shiro’s shoulders unfurls, and Keith watches the slow transformation before him in a ripple of muscle and scars. He’s glad, and his delight at Shiro’s reaction is a glimmer in his eyes, the slight tug of a smile to his face. It tells him he has a chance of doing this right after all. Especially since Shiro needs this. He didn’t ask for it, maybe he never will, but Keith is starting to understand the longing he sees in Shiro’s face. It’s a desire he’s had for many years of his life and thought would never be his. At the Garrison, even in their quiet moments studying or spending time in the sims, Shiro gave Keith more than he ever could have asked for. It had come in the form of a warm, heavy hand on Keith’s shoulder, a ruffle of his hair, the playful bump of Shiro’s shoulder against his. Keith had latched onto those gestures of affection and friendship with as much enthusiasm as his bruised heart would allow. Leaning closer, nudging him back,  _smiling_.

Now, Keith is going to give it back. Shiro needs to know he’s still worthy of all that affection and kindness after becoming a paladin, after being the Champion. Now that Keith’s figured it out, he’s going to give and give until Shiro says to stop. He reaches out, sliding his fingers into Shiro’s hair. At first, Shiro watches the movement of his hand warily, but he knows it’s just Keith, and his eyes slide shut as soon as Keith starts petting him, combing through the strands. More of the tension ebbs. Keith’s heart starts beating faster. Down the side of Shiro’s face his touch strays, stroking over his brow, down his cheek and straight along his jaw. He brushes a thumb over Shiro’s lips; Shiro smiles and kisses the pad teasingly. Keith holds his breath. He rests his palm over the pulse in Shiro’s neck, feels the thrum under his skin, and leans in to kiss the corner of his mouth.

Shiro can no longer keep his hands in place, he reaches out and pulls Keith to him. Skin to skin, Keith pushes back until they’re laying on Shiro’s bed. They fit together so well; they always have. Keith doesn’t stop touching him, nuzzling into his neck before leaning back just enough to touch his arms, treating the right one just as tenderly as he does the left. He takes the prosthetic in both his hands, moving it to cradle his cheek. He kisses the inside of Shiro’s wrist, metal warm against his lips. The whir of the mechanism is like a hum of pulse, alive and a part of Shiro. Shiro’s soft gasp becomes a relieved sigh. Keith smiles down at him. He has all night for sounds like those, the worship of soft skin, the bump of scars, the fault lines between metal and flesh. And it’s just fine, it’s everything Shiro needs but won’t say he needs, everything Keith is willing to give when he knows that’s what’s best for Shiro. He gives, he touches, he feeds that quiet hunger in both of them until their hearts are full.


End file.
